A24 acquires Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer” starring Daniel Craig

A24 has acquired Luca Guadagnino’s highly anticipated gay romance drama “Queer” ahead of its world premiere on September 3 at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, TheWrap has learned.

Set in 1950s Mexico City, the adaptation of William S. Burroughs' 1985 novel, starring Daniel Craig, follows William Lee, “an American expat in his late 40s living a lonely life in the midst of a small American community,” according to the film's official synopsis. “However, the arrival of young student Eugene Allerton in town leads William to finally form a meaningful relationship with someone.”

The film also stars Drew Starkey, Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (“Phantom Thread”), Jason Schwartzman, Andra Ursuta, Michael Borremans and David Lowery. The script for the project was written by Justin Kuritzkes, who most recently worked with Guadagnino on “Challengers,” starring Zendaya.

“'Queer' is a labor of love, and we couldn't be more excited that our film has found a home at a studio as bold, vital and groundbreaking as A24,” the filmmaker and Craig said in a joint statement Wednesday. “We are deeply honored to finally bring Burroughs' legendary novel to life on screen for the first time, and we feel tremendous gratitude and excitement to be able to present it alongside our valued collaborators. We couldn't ask for better partners on this journey.”

Queer was produced by Fremantle, Fremantle North America, Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment, a Fremantle Group company, and Guadagnino for his Frenesy Film Company in association with Cinecitta and Frame by Frame. The Fremantle Group financed the film.

“We are thrilled that 'Queer,' a true milestone in cinematic art and storytelling, will be released by A24 in the US,” said Andrea Scrosati, COO and CEO Continental Europe of Fremantle Group. “A24 is the perfect partner for Luca Guadagnino's beautiful and tender film and we all look forward to working with this amazing team again.”

In addition to screening in competition at Venice, where Guadagnino won the Best Director award in 2022, “Queer” will also celebrate its North American premiere as a special presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be shown at the New York Film Festival as part of the Spotlight Gala.

In a statement released by the director before the Venice premiere, Guadagnino said:

“'How can a man who sees and feels not be sad?' asks William Burroughs in the last entry of his personal diary before his death. In adapting his second novel, published almost 40 years after it was written, we have tried to respond to this modest appeal from the great iconoclast of the Beat generation. Lee loves Allerton, Allerton loves Lee: will they be able to meet, despite all the missteps and anxieties that affect both, during their picaresque journey through South America, which springs from Burroughs' imagination?”

CAA Media Finance brokered the A24 deal.